Just 5 chapters to the confession, I am so excited!
ARYAN
We reached Romeo Lane and our place was already booked. Any, Nysa, Rai booked the whole place by using their money and apparently there's a surprise for her which only they know, even we don't know.
Nysa was trying to come to me everytime I was alone but I can't talk to her right now. Her face was sad but she has to bear it, I am not going to be always there to hug her and comfort her.
Soon, Vihaan came with Vanya
and she looked pretty. I went to her, side hugged her and greeted her Happy Birthday, she thanked me with a small smile.
"What happened?" I asked with confusion as to why she's not completely happy on HER day.
"Nothing, I was just missing my friends from school." She said with a small smile.
"SURPRISEEEEE!!!" came the voice of three boys standing at the entrance.
They took all the attention of the girls and they instantly ran to them. They were literally running while wearing their heels. Waise girti padti hai lekin heels mein bhaag leti hai.
They all hugged each other like they are long lost siblings.
"Happy Birthday V!!!!" all the three boys shouted at her and she hugged them tightly.
The tallest one spoke something and they all laughed at his apparent joke. They came towards us and we all introduced each other. They were Rohan, Ritik and Aditya, her school friends she was missing. So, this was the surprise. These girls can do anything for each other, impressive.
"Aditya raha nhi gaya Nysa ke bina, huh?" Rai said teasingly. I narrowed my eyes at the duo. (Aryan, you can't live without Nysa, can you?)
"Ha, nhi reh sakta hai." He said putting her hand around her bare shoulders. She chuckled at him. That should be me, not him, definitely not him. (Yes, I can't live without her)
"Ohh, finally accept kar liya?" V teased them and I fisted my hands. (Oh, so you finally accepted?)
"Tum log bhi na? Har samay same baat karte ho" Nysa said laughing. (You guys talk about the same thing everytime.)
"Don't worry, they are just friends." Any came beside me and whispered in my ears.
"What?"
"I know you love her."
"And why do you think that?" I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrow.
"Because you look at her like Virat Kohli looks at Anushka Sharma."
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do AND agree or not, you do love her. You can tell me, no? It would be our secret, I promise and anyway I am your bestfriend, aren't I?"
"Fine, I love her."
"Does Anirudh know about it?" She asked excitedly.
"No, why?" I asked with confusion.
"You told me before him, another way to tease him." I chuckled at her. Sooner or later, he'll know too. She'll know too.
"Did something happened between you two?" She asked to me. As soon as she asked me, I don't know what happened but panic seized inside me. I recalled everything that happened three years ago. This should not happen now, Anirudh is not here, nobody knows about it. I don't want anyone's pity anymore. I rushed out and Any followed me.
"What happened to him?" Nysa asked.
"Let me see, I'll be back. You stay here." Any replied and rushed outside behind me. I thanked Any for stopping Nysa right there. She can't see me miserable, not yet.
"What happened Ari?" Any shouted worriedly.
"Nothing, you go, I'll come shortly. Can you just please call Anirudh to come to me first, please?"
"Yeah, I'll do that but tell me, what happened?"
"Noth-nothing real-really." I tried to speak as my vision got blurred due to my continuous tears flowing down.
"Ari, you're crying? Kya hua hai? Batana please. Please mat ro, chup ho ja, bata toh kya hua hai." Any asked me, her tone layered with concern.
"When I-I got read-ready today, I-I came out-t and I was waiting-ing for ever-everyone. Ny-Nysa came outside. Sh-she hasn't been talk-ing to me for the-he past few days so I ask-asked her about it, she shouted I hate you and all t-the past memories came rushing back......." I said trying to calm myself.
After some time
"Shh, its fine. Its fine, I am here, you're alright, it was not your fault. You were young and naive, it wasn't you, trust me." Any hugged me tightly and murmured all these words, it slowly calmed me down.
"What's the time right now?" I asked wiping my face. I can't look like this, everyone would know.
"Its 9" she slowly said.
"Shit, Any you should go, I'll come in 10 minutes. They might be wondering where are we?" I started panicking.
"Its fine Ari, instead you should go home, take rest watch your comfort show. Go home, I'll make an excuse and don't worry about what Nysa said. She speaks rubbish when she's not in the right mindset. She even said it to me once but when she realised that its a very strong word, she immediately apologized. She's like that but she's not bad at heart." She tried to explain to me but who would tell her that I know she has a golden heart who craves for love and comfort.
"Thankyou Any, if it wasn't you, I wouldn't have been able to calm myself down. Thankyou very much." I am genuinely grateful to her.
"Friends don't say thankyou to each other aur tum toh mere hone wale jijaji ho." She playfully said and winked at me to which I chuckled.
"Anyway, I'll text Vanya but you also tell them that I had some urgent work."
"Yeah sure, now go and give some rest to your mind. It wasn't you, always remember that, its destiny and it likes to play with us but we need to be strong and you're toh my big baby bro." She said squeezing my cheeks.
"Okay okay, my little baby sis. Thankyou and take care." I don't want them to see me like Any saw me. It would ruin Vanya's night.
I'll personally apologize to her tomorrow in college. I drove my car and all I could listen is Nysa's three words. She didn't mean it, she didn't.
I drove at the speed of 100 and reached my apartment. I quickly threw my blazer and tie on the floor and straight went in my room.
I feel so hot right now and yet I am shivering. I closed the door behind and slided through the door.
All I could think of the accident that happened 3 years ago. All my past fears are standing in front of me and I don't have the power to face them anymore.
I can see the hatred of my brother and gloomy eyes of my parents. I can hear all the things people have called me through the years.
Its too much to take in. Its too much for me to face it again and again.
I can't let it happen.
I stood up and went out to drink water only to see Anirudh entering the house panting.
He spotted me and instantly came to hug me. I hugged him tightly and that's when my tears started to flow. I can feel the pain of my biggest loss again.
"Calm down, Aryan." He whispered in my ear continuously patting my back.
"I am trying." I tried to say but it all came broken like me.
I never meant it to happen. I despise what Nysa did to me but I can't bring myself to hate her. I can't bring myself to blame her for the words she said.
I can't blame her for the strings she unknowingly pulled.
I sat on the couch and Anirudh went to bring me some water.
"Drink it." He said caressing my hair.
I quickly drank the water but my hands shivered at the sudden cold touch. My hands shivered at the thought again.
"Aryan, it was not your fault. Stop overthinking it. It was never your fault. You were young and-"
"I did a mistake? Its not a mistake." I shouted and he sighed.
"But it wasn't your fault either. You never intended it to happen."
I cried and my vision blurred again due to the continuous tears flowing from my eyes.
I hugged my knees closer and tried to calm myself down.
I am not weak.
It'll pass.
They probably didn't want me to blame myself.
After probably half an hour, I was better. I wiped my tears and stood up to leave.
Anirudh didn't stop me.
I came in my room, locked it and went to take a shower.
I changed into sweatpants and laid on the bed. I tried to divert my mind away from everything that happened today by scrolling my phone.
But suddenly a notification popped up and it was Nysa's message.
'What happened Aryan?'
'I am really sorry.'
'I didn't mean it.'
I ignored her messages. I don't want to text something I'll regret in the near future. I am better than her in this.
I tried to sleep but sleep felt far away. Nysa came continuously in my mind and I don't know but thinking about her calmed me a bit.
It's all because of her speaking those three words but the mental image of her calm all my nerves and my mind feels at peace.
But I need to teach her a lesson. She can't just roam around and throw her shit at us, she needs to learn how to be vocal about her problems, that's the key in any relationship, let it be friendship if that's the only thing she would expect from me.
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